None.
Not Applicable.
The present invention relates to a table tennis ball size adjustment mechanism for use in conjunction with table tennis robots or devices that automatically serve table tennis balls at varying rates and trajectories to a player.
In order to improve the skill, dexterity and accuracy of table tennis players, table tennis robots have been developed. These devices sequentially collect and then feed a plurality of table tennis balls upwardly within an enclosure to a serving head which serves table tennis balls to a player at varying rates and trajectories as determined by the player. For example, attention is directed to the following patents (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,844,458; 5,009,421; 5,335,905; 5,383,658; 5,485,995) as examples of various types of table tennis robots that are used by themselves or in conjunction with troughs and/or netting to facilitate collection of the table tennis balls.
It has been determined by the International Table Tennis Federation that it is difficult to watch and enjoy table tennis matches on television due to the speed of the game. One simple way of slowing down the game is to increase ball size. It has, therefore, been determined by the International Table Tennis Federation that table tennis matches should be slowed down by increasing the size of the table tennis balls. Changing the diameter of the table tennis ball from 38 mm to 40 mm is enough of a change to enable users to effectively watch and enjoy table this matches, without otherwise affecting the game. Therefore, the International Table Tennis Federation has mandated that ball size for table tennis matches be changed from 38 mm to 40 mm. While this will facilitate television enjoyment of table tennis matches, it will not necessarily replace or supplant 38 mm table tennis balls where players may find sport in playing a faster game or where players practice with 38 mm table tennis balls for table tennis matches using 40 mm balls.
For the reasons set forth above, table tennis robots must be adaptable to be used with either 38 mm or 40 mm table tennis balls, and according to the present invention as discussed in detail below, a unique and practical solution has been discovered to enable table tennis robots to be used with different ball sizes as may be selected by the player.
Among the several objects and advantages of the present invention are the following:
The provision of a table tennis serving device or robot having the capability of use with different ball sizes;
The provision of the aforementioned device or robot which can be simply and quickly converted for use with at least two different ball sizes;
The provision of the aforementioned device or robot which includes a ball size adjustment mechanism to enable use with different sized balls;
The provision of the aforementioned device or robot which includes a manually adjustable ball size adjustment mechanism; and
The provision of the aforementioned device or robot which engages and moves the ball size adjustment mechanism between different ball size operating positions.
Briefly stated, the automatic table tennis ball serving device includes a generally vertically extending enclosure having a table tennis ball passageway extending from a lower ball entrance to an upper ball dispensing outlet for receiving a plurality of table tennis balls. Ball feeding arms are mounted to the enclosure adjacent the lower ball entrance for feeding table tennis balls upwardly in the ball feeding passageway against the force of gravity. A ball dispensing head is mounted to the enclosure adjacent the upper ball dispensing outlet for serving table tennis balls to a player at selected rates and trajectories. The ball dispensing head includes a ball size adjustment mechanism to enable table tennis balls of at least two diameters to pass through the ball dispensing head when one or another diameter of the at least two diameters is selected by the player.
Typically, the ball size adjustment mechanism is moved between two operating positions and is manually operable. Such movement is also preferably accomplished by a slidable mounting on the enclosure for engaging a spring loaded ball support in the ball serving head. The spring loaded ball support is spring loaded relative to a driven ball serving wheel in the ball serving head.
These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the description that follows.